As the Dust Settles
by Objective Mistress
Summary: Some things one does for the self, other things one does for others. But the best one can do is to act for the future. An alternate ending to Book 4, Krew heavy with emphasis on Korra. A sendoff to Korra. [Be the Peaf Prompt 70 – For the Future]


**Title:** As the Dust Settles

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** ~1600

**Summary:** Some things one does for the self, other things one does for others. But the best one can do is to act for the future. An alternate ending to Book 4, Krew heavy with emphasis on Korra. [Be the Peaf Prompt 70 – For the Future]

**Music:** Please listen to "O Magnam Mysterium" (For Band) By Morten Lauridsen and Arranged H. Robert Reynolds for the full effect. I promise you won't regret it.

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No matter where she was, Korra always felt her gaze drawn to the green-yellow light of the newly created spirit portal. The original portals in the north and south were breathtaking to begin with, but the idea that she herself created this rip in the fabric between their universe and the next brought her awe to an entirely different level. Statue be damned; it was impossible to ignore that perhaps the greatest showing of her time as the Avatar would stay eternally where downtown Republic City once was.

She leaned against the decorated gate to Air Temple Island. Naga was only a few paces to her side, her head resting on her white paws. The polar bear dog's ears perked up, and Korra took that as a sign to turn.

"I spoke to President Raiko. Tomorrow, he's announcing a plan to expand the city, rather than rebuild downtown." Tenzin joined her, his gaze lingering across the water and over the ruined city.

Korra looked at the airbending master, "I bet Aang never could have imagined there'd be a spirit portal right in the heart of Republic City."

"Korra," he smiled warmly at her, "you have transformed the world more in a few years than most Avatars did during their lifetimes. And you did it by blazing your own trail," he looked again at the spirit portal. "This is all because of _your_ strength," he emphasized.

She smiled broadly, "And I've only just begun."

She thought about all she had accomplished over such a short span. She had mastered all four elements and connected spiritually. She defeated and exposed Amon. She survived and thrived after losing connection to her past lives. She saved the world from the potential devastation of Harmonic Convergence. She saved the Air Nomads. She gave the people of the Earth Kingdom (or whatever the people would choose to call themselves collectively) a new chance to be heard.

"There's so much more I want to learn and do," she leaned back contentedly, "and I can't wait to see what's next."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you so full of hope again."

"It's been a bit of a bumpy ride, huh?" She laughed.

Tenzin nodded, "I've come to realize life is one big, bumpy ride."

Korra took a deep breath. "I was in a pretty dark place after I was poisoned. But I think I understand now…"

The airbending master raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"The past is something that happened. Suffering for those three years didn't make me any better of a person…it just changed me. Everything I ever needed to succeed was inside of me the whole time. Everything that happened…I wish it didn't. But that won't change and I didn't deserve any of the pain. All I can do is find balance within myself to accept that it did, and move forward."

Tenzin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Korra, you are an amazing Avatar. But more importantly, you are an incredible person."

"Well, I _am_ the Avatar," she smirked and put her hand on his. "But I'm a lot more than that."

"Excuse me Tenzin, Varrick is looking for you." Asami spoke up hesitantly. "Something about wanting to borrow a glidersuit to fly off the tower?"

Korra turned around as Tenzin's hand slid off her shoulder. Mako, Bolin, and Asami stood together practically shoulder to shoulder.

"That doesn't seem like a good idea!" Tenzin ran off frantically.

"You wanna sit with me for a minute?" Korra looked over the faces of her friends.

The three smiled as they joined Korra on the steps, Mako and Bolin on each side of Korra and Asami just to Bolin's side. They sat for a few moments in silence bathed in the spirit portal glow. There was just something familiar and comforting of the four of them being together again as one crew, one team, one set of friends. Korra missed this. The camaraderie, the laughter; there had been so much missing in her life the past three years.

"Kind of feels like an end of an era…" Mako broke the silence.

"Nah," Korra shrugged. "More like a chapter close."

"A new beginning?" Asami asked.

"Exactly," Korra nodded.

They were all getting a fresh start. Varrick and Zhu-Li had a chance to start a life together. Republic City was going to be rebuilt into something new, mixed with the flavors of old and a healthy respect for what was. As the dust slowly settled in the aftermath of the conflict, the picture that had begun to emerge looked bright. The future belonged to those who acted today.

"I think your statue got destroyed in all of this," Asami pointed across the water.

Bolin bumped Korra's playfully with his. "Forget having a statue. You've got an entire spirit portal!"

The whole group laughed.

"I missed you Bolin," Korra dropped her head on to the earthbender's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," he patted her on the back. "I missed me too."

Mako and Asami rolled their eyes, and the group fell into a comfortable silence yet again.

They sat shoulder to shoulder. This was the way it was supposed to be. The four of them as Team Avatar, ready to face whatever came to them next. There was an unwavering confidence that Korra now had that she could face and defeat any challenge that could come her way.

"What next?" Mako looked over at Korra. "For the future, I mean. I know I need some time to heal," he looked down at his arm still immobilized in a sling. "Tenzin suggested I might want to go to the South Pole and have Katara work on my hand."

Korra squeezed his good hand in his and gazed at him reassuringly. After everything that had happened, she still wasn't exactly sure how she felt about Mako. Even if she did, it hardly felt like the time to jump into anything new. But that was something that she could decide with time.

"Well, I'm not going to miss the cleanup of the city," Bolin leaned back. "And Opal…yeah there's a lot of stuff to work on."

Asami leaned forward so she could look at the three on her right. "I-I…I really need some time. Everything happened so fast I don't really know how to feel…"

The trio nodded in understanding, and Bolin threw his arm around her in a one-armed hug.

"What about you, Korra?" Mako spoke up.

All eyes were on her.

"Well, first…I think the spirits deserve to know that President Raiko is going to respect the new downtown," a smile crept up on Korra's lips. "You know, they've been waiting too." She stood slowly. "I think they should know as soon as possible."

"We trust your judgment," Asami leaned into Bolin, his arm still around her in a friendly hug.

"I won't be long," she assured them. "There's a lot of work to be done and I wouldn't miss it for the world. Now if you'll excuse me," she threw them one more glance over her shoulder before walking out towards the bay.

She needed no one else to complete pieces of her that were missing; her friends were there for her to lean on if she needed or wanted it. There was no weakness in seeking help of course, but with the power that she wielded effortlessly there was no arrogance in standing alone. She really was whole.

As Korra's silhouette bathed in green grew smaller and smaller, it was impossible to ignore that there was lightness in her step that hadn't been there in a long time. She had the gait of the Korra who had just passed her firebending test and was eager to take the world on head on and at her pace. There was the confidence in her posture that only the girl who on her first trip to Republic City beat up a trio of Triads could wield.

Eventually she reached the edge of the water. Unflinchingly, she bent the water around her and disappeared into Yue Bay and into the darkness. They knew if they watched long enough she would emerge again, a shadow in the light of the spirit portal.

"Whoa," Bolin grinned sheer awe of it all. "She's a real hero."

"No…" Mako shook his head.

A familiar smile graced his lips. It was the same that had appeared moments ago at the wedding, and years ago at the reunion at the oasis and when Korra hugged him goodbye before heading to fight Zaheer. Even further in the past, it was the same look that he was moved to on the cliffs of the South Pole when Korra unlocked her bending. There was meaning in this expression that stretched beyond words; to put it in such a verbal way would be a grand disservice to the depth of his feeling. There were something one could only express through action, like promising to follow her into battle and back.

"She's not a hero," Mako stood up slowly, waiting to catch sight of Korra again. "She's a legend."

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"_Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." – Babe Ruth_

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Thank you Korra, thank you Be the Peaf. It has been a pleasure.

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**Author Note:** Thank you maestro-accesso, sifu-korras, Tumblr User Kwongs, and elementalavatars for looking this over.


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